The Ethiopian Health Support Association (EtHSA) was established in 1990 by some Ethiopian Community members who understood the need for a specific community based health services for the Ethiopian immigrants in the UK. This was a responsible action against the continuous growth of mental health incidences in the country. On the other hand there was an obvious limitation of the statutory and mainstream service providers in addressing the problem.
Therefore EtHSA was established to supplement and complement the services provided by the statutory agencies main stream service providers. It has been intended to create a link between the mainstream service providers and the community to enhance a greater uptake of the services.
The 1994 financial support from the mental health foundation and the subsequent research work enabled the organization to be registered as a charity (106425) in September 19997.
The association provides services that consider the linguistic, cultural, social and religious sensitivities of members of the communities. This organisation remains a refugee led community organization in which volunteers continue to play a leading role.
Goal, Vision and Mission Statement
Goal: to contribute to improved Ethiopian community health on a sustainable basis
Vision / Purpose:
To improve the health status of Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers and to ensure that all children, young people, adolescent, and elderly of both sexes to achieve and maintain the highest level of physical, mental, and emotional health in order to realize their human potential to the fullest. The goal of EtHSA is to make services available to all Ethiopians living in the UK. This vision will be carried out in collaboration with local communities, other state agencies, organizations and individuals concerned with the health and well-being of families, women, infants, children, and adolescents. It provides mental, physical, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted health services in a participatory approach. To be able to provide the services to its clients the association at the same time will tackle the difficulties they face in accessing the existing health services.
Mission Statement:
In order to accomplish its mission, the Ethiopian Health Support Association
will:
Promote the delivery of high quality, comprehensive, family-centered health services for women, infants, children, and adolescents.
Identify and assess the health factors and conditions of families that adversely affect their social, economic, and health status.
Mentoring young people under and post fostering
Monitor relevant health status indicators to identify, assess, and pro-actively plan for current and future areas of need, including proposals for regulatory change.
Promote early prenatal care, treatment for substance abuse, breastfeeding, and provision of nutritious food, health education and referrals in preventative and primary health care services to improve pregnancy outcome and child health.
Develop and promote effective outreach and identification, including the provision of culturally sensitive and competent care coordination and management.
Establish policy and standards of care, and promote quality preventative health care services that emphasize early evaluation, prevention of regression of health status and promotion of maximum function.
Strengthen outreach, educational and marketing efforts including communications to target high-risk populations, local agencies, and community organizations.
Provide technical assistance to local communities to assure the development of systems of health, nutrition education and special health care services.
Develop standards for health and nutrition services to evaluate the quality and outcomes of initiatives and to evaluate local project operations and management.
Procure and appropriately utilize funds and other resources to improve the health of families, with emphasis on women, infants, children, adolescents and children with special health care needs.
Values:
Underlying values
EtHSA is committed to comprehensive Family Centred Health Care that is culturally sensitive.
Preventive Health Care Services; and Early Identification, Diagnosis, & Treatment are the most effective and efficient methods to safeguard the public’s health.
EtHSA operates in collaboration with local communities, other state agencies, organizations and individuals concerned with the health and well-being of families, women, infants, and children.
Equal opportunity
The equal opportunity policy to apply to all sections of the community irrespective of Ethnic, religion, disability, age, sex, martial status etc.